Police: Suspects left, then returned to couple's Harrison County home before second murder

Aug. 5, 2013

From left: Schuler, Scott

Written by

Grace Schneider | The Courier-Journal

The two teens accused of murdering a Harrison County couple told police that they stabbed one victim to death, left and then returned, when they bludgeoned the second victim in her bed.

After killing Gary Henderson — he was stabbed 23 times — and stealing handguns and other items, the pair told police, they returned a short time later hoping to bag more stolen goods when they realized someone else was alive inside the house, Harrison County Sheriff Rod Seelye said.

They heard a woman call out for Henderson and then stormed into Asenath “Senie” Arnold’s bedroom and bludgeoning her to death, Seelye said.

Arnold, who used a wheelchair, was found in bed, her skull crushed, Harrison County Coroner Rusty Sizemore said.

“It was brutal, absolutely brutal,” Size­more said. “I think I’ve seen things, but this is the worst.”

Police have arrested 18-year-olds Kevin Andrew “Drew” Schuler of Greenville and Austin Scott of New Albany, who were arraigned Monday in Floyd County on felony charges of theft of weapons and prescription pills.

Neither has been charged in the two murders, but Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Henderson told Floyd Circuit Judge Terrence Cody that Harrison officials could file murder charges against Scott and Schuler by Tuesday. Seelye confirmed that charges are forthcoming.

Stephen Beardsley, Scott’s attorney, could not be reached by phone Monday evening.

Schuler is represented by Timothy L. Gray, according to court records. A phone number could not be found for him Monday night.

The bodies of Arnold, 57, and Gary Henderson, 70, were found Saturday after a friend and employee came to work at the couple’s horse-drawn-carriage business and found them inside their Greenville area home. Arnold was in a first-floor bedroom, while Henderson was found upstairs, Sizemore said.

Henderson had mostly been stabbed in the head and neck, Sizemore said. Arnold was beaten with a rod used on a horse harness, he said.

The couple operated Welcome Home Horse Carriages, a carriage and pony ride business that offered rides at church picnics and weekend festivals.

(Page 2 of 3)

Investigators in Harrison said that the teenagers went to the couple’s home on Walk Drive in the early hours of Saturday morning after running out of gas on their four-wheelers. Seelye said that he believes the suspects arrived at the home about 2:30 a.m. and left for good as the sun was coming up.

Schuler and Scott each face felony charges of receiving stolen property and possession of a controlled substance as well as misdemeanor charges of possession of a handgun in Floyd County.

Scott also faces a felony criminal recklessness charge.

Bond for both men was set at $50,000 full cash. Pretrial hearings in both cases were set for next month.

The arrests came after New Albany police were dispatched at 1:22 p.m. Saturday to the 800 block of West Market Street to check a report of shots being fired. Scott and Schuler were not at the scene when officers arrived.

Court records show that an argument had erupted between Austin Scott and his brother Justin at the Market Street home and the teen pulled a revolver from the truck he’d arrived in. He pointed it at his brother and fired, but no one was hurt, records show.

He and Schuler then sped off, and within minutes two officers spotted the 2001 Ford F-250 pickup on Charlestown Road and took the two into custody without incident.

“At that time, it was a criminal recklessness investigation,” said Sheri Knight, the New Albany police chief. “We weren’t sure what was going on.”

According to court records, police found three handguns and prescription hydrocodone in the truck, according to court records.

During Scott’s arraignment in Floyd Circuit Court, several of his relatives sat in the audience holding hands. A few sobbed quietly when the teen’s name was called and he rose from a row of inmates to stand before Cody.

Beardsley, his lawyer, stood beside him while Scott answered questions quietly and politely. He said, “yes sir” several times as the judge spoke to him.

Friends and relatives of Arnold and Henderson were stunned and heartsick. Kristi Highfill, who handled pony rides for the couple’s business, said “they were a sweet little couple. They wouldn’t hurt anybody.”

(Page 3 of 3)

She added, “It just makes no sense.”

Since she’s been nursing a broken leg, Highfill said she’d arranged for her 16-year-old daughter Kyanne to work in her place on weekends recently. On Saturday morning, Kyanne and fellow employee Kathy Mcdowell went to Arnold’s and Henderson’s home to load up ponies, saddles and other equipment for a child’s birthday party in Starlight.

“It wasn’t unusual for us to get there and start right in” getting the ponies and horses ready for the day’s activities, Highfill said.

Mcdowell did not immediately respond to phone calls seeking comment.

Highfill said the two loaded the animals, and when Henderson didn’t come out of the house to give them the truck keys as usual, Mcdowell walked to the house and found the door open. “She knew something was wrong,” Highfill said.

After she discovered Arnold’s body, Mcdowell called police, Highfill said, adding that she’s “extremely grateful” that Mcdowell insisted Kyanne wait near the vehicles while she entered the home.

Sizemore said the couple had been married for years but had divorced at some point to allow Arnold to receive needed medical benefits.

Sizemore added that police officers, especially Seelye, “did a wonderful job” working the investigation carefully and thoroughly over the weekend.